Jim Boyd Construction, Piedmont Mechanical Inc. and Chevron Energy have been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for a number of safety violations that were discovered after a worker was burned as the result of a preventable electrical shock. The accident happened at the U.S. Marine Corps Logistic Base as the employee was installing a new land fill gas compression and processing facility. The companies affiliated with the construction have received eleven citations that equal more than $189,000. The OSHA inspection started back in March after the accident.OSHA is responsible for investigating the conditions of work sites and work-related accidents in Georgia and elsewhere. Employers have a responsibility under federal law to help to protect workers from hazards and dangers that can result in injury at the work site.
Our Atlanta workers compensation attorneys understand that employees who work with electrical equipment are at an increased risk for serious work-related injuries if the proper precautionary steps are not taken by all parties involved. Workers are urged to report any signs of hazards or dangers in the workplace to a supervisor or directly to OSHA. Your report can help to prevent injury or to save someone’s life if the concerns are properly handled.
The recently issued citations were the result of an accident where the boom tip of a crane made contact with a power line that was running with more than 12,000 volts. When the tip of the crane made contact, the electricity was transported through the crane and down to the employee who was located on the ground and holding the line.
Piedmont received a violation of more than a $55,000 penalty for neglecting to consider that the crane would get that close to the power line. Cranes are not allowed within 20 feet of working power lines. The other citations were received for neglecting to position the crane on an area that was sturdy enough to support it and for neglecting to inspect the crane daily.
All of the companies have been cited for excavation and trenching-related violations at that one specific work site:
-Piedmont: $125,000+.
-Jim Boyd: $58,000+.
-Chevron Energy: $6,300.
“When there are multiple companies operating together at the same site . . . it is important that all the employers take a serious interest in the safety and health of the workers,” said Robert Vazzi, director of OSHA’s Savannah Area Office.
Additional violations were issued to both Peidmont and Jim Boyd for allowing its employees to enter a trench in which there were a number of sections where shields were not connected properly. Both companies were also cited for letting employees work in these areas where she shields were damaged along the walls of the trench. This exposed the employees to a number of potentially serious hazards.
If you have experienced a serious work injury in Atlanta or in any of the surrounding areas and want to discuss your rights, contact the experienced Atlanta workers’ compensation attorneys at J. Franklin Burns. Call 404-920-4708 to make a free appointment to discuss your claim.
